pig production in botswana

Starting up a pig farm

I'm a third year student in the University of Botswana studying economics and accounts. My country is well known for its diamond and beef production. Pork meat is in high demand here, but the supply is very low, therefore I would like to venture in that industry. I want to start up a commercial pig farm but I haven’t the slightest idea of where to start. The start up capital is not a problem, the problem is the logistics. I know everything there is to know about cows, but when it comes to pigs I know nothing except for what I have learnt from this website. What I want to know is if I want to start up a high production commercial pig farm, how many females and boars should I start with? What breed is the best, looking at my demographic location? How many sheds should be constructed to accommodate the pigs and how many pigs should I keep per shed? Any response will be highly appreciated.

Good article about the Starting up a pig farm. But if starting up capital is not a problem, I think that before you decide on the number of sows that you want to have first you should be sure if you have adequate water and feed supply in your area, how far are you from the market (abattoir)?

Please indicate that you you have to plan what you need first. For example: if you run your self that pig farm I think at first you should start up at 30-sow farm. or if you have two workers, it should be 60-100 sow, then you can increase sow head every circle. ....

if you need more detail you can contact me (I am Hoang, MBA/Vet Doctor, now I am a National Sales Manager for WOOSUNG FEED CO., LTD).

I am also a third year student in the University of Botswana studying in the same programme as Fred Kau, and am very interested in starting up my own pig farm. I can learn from you and you can learn from me Mr Kau. I have done my studies and research and know very well of the high demand for pig products in Botswana. I am a business minded person who grew up raising cattle too. Let's grab an opportunity to at least work together. Contact me.

Dear Fred, I am Dr Kolisa Nokoyo, Vet in SA. I am a swine consultant located in the Mafikeng area which is quite close to you. If you still need help with the pig farm, contact me.. I work for the Northwest University.

Interesting article about Starting up a pig farm. Kau, It is good to find that there are some Batswana youths who are interested in pig production. I looked at the questions that you asked and the answers are all in Botswana. First, the Department of Animal Production has pig production officers who give free advice on starting up pig production projects, the suitable sites, the locations from your markets, where to source your inputs, the types of breeds that we use in Botswana and why we use those. I know you can be funded by CEDA for such a project. But the suitability of your sites is far more important and the drainage of your soils.

I therefore advise you to go to the nearest Veterinary ofiice and get the information free of charge even the booklet which is produced by the department on pig management is available. Apart from that I am research in Botswana and dealing with monogastric nutrition including pigs. So why not pay me a visit since you are in Gaborone and we can take from there.

I would like to share the possibility of following a three months practical course on Pig Husbandry in the Netherlands. This course especially designed for people from African and Asian countries, and financed by the Dutch government.
The course start every year in August and lasts untill the end of november. After that there are three months to specialise more or take choice modules on other topics, like organic farming, food safety of writing a project proposal. From february to the end may there is a feeding course.
More info: www.ptcplus.com and www.nuffic.nl

You have a very nice question. My shared idea is that... before you proceed in how many females and boars you must to produce in start up of your pig farm business....firstly, how many square meters is your proposed farm. If say example you have only 200 square meters of farm land for your pigs., the computation per pig from 1st month of growing of 1 piglet until 4 months is atleast you must to provide an area of 2 meters x 1.30 meters shed each pig but it is more practical if you start with a shed size: 4 meters x 3 meters for every group of 4 pigs. 200 square meters can accomodate 50 females and 7 boars for their convenience. I can provide you free design of pig sheds if you wish... just provide me the area of your pig farm and i will see how can i contibute you more design concepts in building your farm. I believe many local breeders near your location in which you can access to buy good breeds of pigs. Contact local veterinarians and find very patient pig caretaker to start caring your pigs while searching more suppliers for the improvement of your pig farm complete requirements.

I suggest that you study your market first, for example where to sell your pigs and determine their demand. Such information will be your baseline in determining how many sows you have to raise in order to meet the demand of your market. All the rest will follow, land area, housing, etc.

Now for ever pig sow you should have at list three sheds.one for the piglets,one for weaners and one in waiting to be able to manage that circle in the pig farm .

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Re: Starting up a pig farm

02/17/2011
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I have just are litte idea on pig faming and I have these passion on pig faming. I just want you to help me met my passion, and I need your help how to start pig farm and any thing that i dont know about pigs,please help me out m just confused and I wont give up until I try. But I hope that with your help I wil succed ok.

02/18/2011
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well i would say i like to have a very detailed analysis of the project from cages to feeds, when they are due for sales and so on cos i am a farmer here in Nigeria am presently in open university studying agricultural extension and management but i believe in a full circle on the livestock project cos you need piggery to support the catfish or chicken & turkey business too.economically u need funds to sustain this kind of business so one project helps the other in rainy days.... thank u..

I am very impress with some of the discussion about pig farm, but iwould like to see an actual stye fitted with all it equiptment I live in the carribean can i get some more on the breeds that is best suited for the carribean

Just as it is in Economics you have to consider factors of production and these can be analysed as : Land Labour Capital Market source of raw materials Nearness to market.

Land - There must be availability of land for the constrution of pens- housing for the pigs without which pig raising might be difficult. Labour - depending on the size of the pig farm ,you will need some people to work with you in the farm . There is need for the farm to be clean at all times although pigs are dirty animals. To avoid unessecary deases in the farm that could amper the health of the pigs in the farm. Capital - without this there is nothing you can , you need to buy your pigs, you also need to buy the feeds the tools to use in the farm and quite a number of some other things to be used in the farm. Market - There must be aialability of markrt for the pigs raised \ produced in the farm. Source of raw materials - Your raw materials here are the feeds for the pigswhich soucing for it must not too far from the location of the farm or else this will increase your cost. and besides it mamy make too tediouse

Hi i would like to start my pig farm with 9 sow and 1boer will this be vaiable business the feed are 30km from where are live but can i have a structure that will accomodate this business.i will also like to know the supply of the sow and boer around Durban area. I will be using 1hactor of land. The land have water.

This is really a good platform to start discussing and sharing ideas regarding piggery farm. We can solve a lot of problems facing by u through discussion and sharing the ideas among us. Our experience and situation is different from each other due to the availity of facilities, so we can share in order to eradicate these drawbacks.

This is quite intresting and informative. I am starting a piggery too but I also need some pointers here and there. I am in the Butterworth region in the Eastern Cape. Where can i get the vital information that I might need to get this enterprise running succesfully. Any input will be appreciated.

05/15/2012
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You need to know whether or not you have a market for your product before you even start what does the market want, what can you sell, and can you sell to more than one person or just one. What restrictions they put on the carcass as in fat content. Whether they want ,suckers, or pork, bacon etc How many they want per week, you wont of course be able to supply that many per week when you first begin, but it should not take long to build the numbers. Pigs is of course a numbers game....... the more you have the more you make

Regular feed and how far it has to come or does it come from your next door neighbor, storage, additivies, making up your mixes and with what. nutritionist and he makes up your diets so you get good lean pigs

Housing, for your dry sows and housing for growers, and housing for lactating sows

05/31/2012
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Currently I am in Botswana and our family is rearing pork for potential commercial selling, our sheds at this moment are not in tip top shape but we have atleast 36 sows and boers 25 and the piglets have not been counted. We would like to build infrastructure in order to meet the Department of Agriculture Research requirements so as to start selling. we are situated in Letlhakane la Orapa, Central District, Boteti Sub District